Beth scanned the enormous two-story space in the Jade Software building in Cupertino, where about 1,000 casually dressed people meandered. Waiters were dressed like monsters from "Midnight" (or maybe "After Midnight") and were serving energy drinks, shots of vodka, and beers in frozen steins.

A woman with big teased hair, a white rubber dress and Lucite heels - a dead ringer for "Midnight" star Shalimar - passed out sliders that looked nearly as big as the Den's burgers.

Beth was trying not to dwell on the black SUV and the A T 101 stalkers in San Francisco, but it was difficult to get the mystery off her mind. The whole mess was somehow her fault, she knew it. But what had she done, exactly? Was it fair to her fellow hackers to endanger them? Should she leave?

"This is the gym," Roger said. "Are you OK?"

"Uh, huh," Beth said. "Why didn't you tell me we were coming here?"

Roger had mentioned a big cocktail party in Silicon Valley, but not a tech extravaganza for his new game. Beth had been expecting a house party in which the guests would find their way to the garage and stand around drinking from plastic red cups, looking at various engine inventions.

At a showy event like this, Beth worried about photographers and the scrutiny she might face as Roger's date.

"Someone else planned this thing," Roger said. "I forgot."

Beth almost laughed. She actually believed him. And she enjoyed Roger's company, maybe even more than enjoyed it.

"Where's Jenny?" Roger asked.

Beth pointed toward the right. Jenny was leaning against a wall and drawing in a sketchbook. The young girl had not spoken a word to Beth all night.

Employees, many of them in hoodies, came up to Roger and gave him high fives. Beth liked that Roger seemed approachable to his staffers.

Approachable, however, was not the word for Jenny on this occasion. Her sullen behavior was a far cry from her outspoken ways at the Den and at Roger's Dolores Street house.

Beth wandered over. "Why'd you come?" she asked.

"I'm a gamer," Jenny said.

"Roger mentioned you code," Beth said. "That's a cool thing for a girl. There aren't enough of you."

"Thanks," Jenny said, still not looking at her. Suddenly a guy with a camera was in front of Beth, aiming. Beth turned her face.

"Are you a vampire?" Jenny asked.

On the second-floor balcony, Roger stood in his Captain Starlight regalia, which his assistant, Lisa, had forced him to change into. He'd completely forgotten about this part of the launch party. Down below, there were so many bizarre outfits that his head was spinning.

He had never seen the Jade gymnasium from this vantage point, and it looked a giant mosh pit. Where were Beth and Jenny?

"We have 900 people waiting!" said Lisa, wearing a Shalimar costume a few sizes too small. "You can't disappoint them."

Roger looked at the footstool that Lisa was pointing at. He couldn't back down now. How much caffeine had he consumed when he'd agreed to this?

"We're clipping you to a rope, just in case," Lisa said, referring to the nearby rope handler, who was dressed as a Sasquatch. "Just let gravity take you."

The chanting below grew louder. "Roger! Roger! Roger!"

Roger climbed up the footstool and glimpsed the pumping fists and shining faces below, his heart cartwheeling. He was transported to a rock concert, where the women were shrieking and tossing their underwear. This sort of thing never happened to a guy like him.

That's when he let go.

Holding open his cape, he lay back, gravity sucking him harder and faster than he'd expected - "Whooooooa!"- and the floor seemingly rising. Before he knew it, he was caught in a crude nest of arms woven together like a ragged hammock.

"Roger! Roger! Roger!" The gymnasium vibrated.

Pressing their hands into his back, the partygoers lifted him and bounced him around like one those vinyl battle balls that reminded him of his grade-school P.E. horror show but were now kicked around in Dolores Park by the tech guys on weekends.

The tugging of his limbs felt horrible, like the worst possible group stretch in yoga class, but he was well - better than well. He was ecstatic. His game "After Midnight" was going to happen! Everyone was too committed for it not to happen.

Just then, the band started playing Eric Clapton's "After Midnight," and everyone was singing along. It was great. But what Roger really needed was a kiss from Beth.

Beth clapped her hand over her mouth, still in shock at the sight of Roger falling from the balcony into the crowd. This is insane.

Fortunately, he seemed OK, but she had no idea Roger was such a ham. Or was he? Beth spotted a woman in a Shalimar costume staring down from the balcony. Had she pushed him?

"Hey, Steffi!"

Beth, in her stupor, turned without thinking.

Jenny was staring at her.

"So the lady on the phone was right," the girl said. "You answer to that name."

"I don't know what you're talking about," said Beth, trying to keep her cool. "I was just reacting to your voice."

Summary: The guarded Beth lives with fellow hackers at the A T 101 hostel in the Mission and works secretly as an escort to make ends meet. She enjoys her new friendship with Silicon Valley titan Roger Martin and also happens to be Roger's online friend, Forever Steffi, though both are unaware that they have a parallel online relationship. Now, as Beth makes her first visit to Roger's Cupertino office, she is about to watch Roger pull a stunt - though that's nothing compared with what his precocious niece Jenny has in store for her.

Fictional serial Click City runs Wednesdays and Saturdays in Datebook.